Radio socket



June6, 1939. I A. J. scHMlT'r` 2,161,487

RADIO SOCKET Filed March 19, .1938

M @Ww j Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATESy PATENT OFFICE Arthur J. Schmitt, Chicago, lll. Application March 19, 1938, Serial No. 196,891

1 claim.

This inventionrelates to radio sockets and more particularly such as are used in radio apparatus for holding electronic tubes having prongs for the electrodes.

5 One of the objects of the invention is to provide an economical and simplified construction which is at the same time highly efiicient, and particularly in which an electron tube having a large number of electrodes or prongs, for example as many as eight, may be carried on a socket no v` larger than a socket for say a conventional fourprong tube, while at the same time security is provided against short circuiting between the circuits of the various prongs, even at relatively high voltages.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the followingdescription, taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which- A Figure 1 is a plan view of a socket following the present invention;`

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a similar view but taken on the line 3-3,of Fig. l; and

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the structure of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction shown in the drawing, the embodiment here shown comprises a body I0 for the socket, preferably of molded insulating material such as Bakelite and of cylindrical formation. The outside diameter of the body is very little, if any, over an'inch in actual practice, and it will be understood that the figures of the drawing are greatly exaggerated for clearness of description.

The upper part of the body I0 desirably has an annular peripheral ridge Il thereabout, which encircles a central slightly depressed circular area 40 l2, as is customary in sockets for this purpose. Centrally of the body I0 there may be the usual central axial passage I3 for a guide pin on the vacuum tube (not shown), the passage I3vand the guide pin having a keyed engagement as by a key-Way Il in the passage I3 and a similar rib on the guide pin which determines the predetermined relative rotative position of the tube and socket.

Arranged within'the area I2 is a` plurality of other axial bore-like openings I5 in the body for the individual electrode prongs of the tube, and in this instance there are eight such openings I5 for such prongs, all arranged in an annular series within the circular space I2 in a circle havinga 65 diameter :if substantially less than oneinch in actual practice and open at the upper end of the body. The openings I5 desirably have a. cylindrical portion for the reception of the prong itself, this portion being of approximately threesixteeths of an inch in diameter. In addition 5 to the cylindrical portion ofthe openings I5, also in accordance with the present invention, each has a transversely slotted or laterally extended portion IB of substantially less width than the diameter of the cylindrical portion which communicates with the cylindrical portion of the opening I5 at the upper part of the opening. In accordance with the present invention 4the slot I6 for each of the openings I5 is directed on an incline to a radius of the body passing through 16 the center of the cylindrical portion of the opening I5. Each slot is arranged at approximately an angle of forty-'five degrees to its respective radius and thev slots are all` arranged on the sameside of each radius, that is, in this case 2o on the right hand side of each radius, assuming one is looking from the center of the body outwardly along each radius. Thus a greater number of the'openings I5 so formed with 'transversely slotted extensions may be arranged in the area 25 I2 than would be possible if the slots I5 extended either in adirection of a radius or in a direction perpendicular to a radius. At the same time there is maintained a maximum degree of spacing between the openings I5 so as to provide maximum 30 safeguard against short circuiting across the contacts or terminals.

Associated with each of the openings I5 is a one-piece metal contact member I1 which has a split sleeve or somewhat cylindrical portion I8 35 received in the cylindrical part of the opening I5, and extending substantially throughout the vertical length of this opening, it being'understood that the body Ill being relatively thick in proportion to its diameter thus provides a support or 40 backing for lateral pressure exerted by the prong of the tube as it is received between the wings I9 of the split sleeve I8, and forces these resilient wings outwardly. Flexure ofthe wings under the influence of the prong being limited by the wall 45 20 of the opening I5, this provides controlled resilience, so to speak, which vguards against the resilient portions of the contact being given at any time a permanent set which would destroy their useful resilience. It will be understood that 50 the formation of the split cylinder I8 is Such initially that its diameter is slightly less than the diameter of the cylindrical part of the opening to permit this flexure under the influence of the prong and to provide a good low resistance electrical path between prong and contact member.

Intermediately of its length the contact member I1 has formed therein a shoulder 2| which engages the lower end of the body I and prevents upward movement of the contact member in the opening. vBelow the shoulder the contact is continued downwardly in the soldering connector portionv 22 which may be provided with the usual solder holes 23 and 24.

Spaced above the shoulder 2| the contact mem- -ber is provided with another portion 25 which is received in the slot I6 and which in this instance abuts a shoulder 26 in the slot. 'I'his relation also substantially xes the relative rotative position of body and contact.

Either one of the shoulder portions 2| or 25 of the contact member may be preformed. For example, the shoulder portion 2| may be preformed and the contact inserted from the bottom with the portion 25 initially parallel with the axis of the split sleeve I8, and thereafter bent over to enter the slot I6. Or the portion 25 may be initially bent as shown, while the portion 2| is parallel with the axis of the split sleeve portion and the contact inserted from the top, the shoulder portion 2| being thereafter formed. In the latter case the shoulder portion 2| might be formed by hand, in which event the shoulder need not be as sharp and precise as here shown, and any axial abutment which would prevent upward movement of the contact in the opening being suitable.

It will be readily seen that in either case, when first formed in the at, the portions 2|, 22 and 25 of the contact member are Hat, longitudinal extensions of the somewhat at rear wall 21 of the contact member which desirably also disposes the tails 22 of the contact members in a ing axially therethrough, the combination wherein each opening has a prong receiving portion open at the upper end of the body and has a slot substantially narrower in diameter than the said prong receiving portion extending laterally therefrom in a direction inclined at approxivmately a forty-f1ve degree angle with respect to a radius of the body passing through the center` of the prong receiving portion, each slot extending to one side only and to the same side of its respective radius as every other said slot looking outwardly of the socket along said radius, and wherein a one-piece sheet metal contact member having a split sleeve portion is received in said prong receiving portion of each opening, 'said contact member being bent to form a shoulder thereon intermediately of the length thereof for engaging the lower end of the body to prevent upward withdrawal' of the member from the body and said member having a laterally extended portion received in said slot, there being ashoulder in the slot spaced intermedially of the upper and lower end of the body engaging the laterally extended portion of the member to prevent downward displacement of the member in the body.

ARTHUR J. SCHMITT. 

